Transcript
Dwayne Murray: (“If we dont check in on other men … a lot of times no one will.”)
Kalia Butler NCC News: Dwayne Murray, a U.S. veteran and deputy director of the national veterans resource center at Syracuse university, says that
The intersectionality of race, gender, and identity place an even bigger toll on mental health.
According to the National center for PTSD veterans who have been deployed are more likely than civilians to experience mental health conditions such as PTSD or major depression.
Former mental health provider in the airforce, Kenneth James Marfilius says The stigma around mental health goes beyond just this demographic
Kenneth James Marfilius: “This is a public health issue, it’s not just a military issue right.”
Kalia Butler: According to the Association of American Medical Colleges although men in the united states die by suicide at a rate four times higher than women. men are diagnosed with depression and mood disorders at far lower rates.
Knowing the early signs is something Marfilius says can help prevent it from turning into a long term problem.
Kenneth James Marfilius:(“Allowing folks or encouraging folks to seek help prior to this sort of worsening symptoms and then leading to an impact on functioning.”)
Pharmacist, Thomas Berish who has dealt with depression and anxiety says
Thomas Berish: “Depression and anxiety and just like mental health behavioral health issues definitely run in my family but it was something that we never really talked about.”
Kalia Butler:In Novemeber of 2022, Berish lost his brother Joe to death by suicide. He says he and his family were not aware of some of the early warning signs.
Thomas Berish: (“He had outbursts which we didn’t necessarily know was a sign of depression because classic depression is show as laying around in bed all day.”)
Kalia Butler: Now Berish believes more needs to be done to advocate for men’s mental health.
Thomas Berish: (“Just starting the conversation and recognizing that it is okay and it is okay to be a male with mental health. That is just the first step.”)
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – June is men’s mental health awareness month and experts and veterans are shedding light on the pressing need for awareness and support for this often overlooked demographic.
Dwayne Murray, a U.S. veteran and deputy director of the National Veterans Resource Center at Syracuse University, emphasized the compounded challenges faced by men due to the intersectionality of race, gender, and identity. He said those factors add an even heavier toll on mental well-being.
“You deal with the stigma of being in the military and being a veteran,” said Murray. “And then you add the layer of being an African American and there are already some cultural phenomenas that are out there that make it hard to be able to express yourself.”
Kenneth James Marfilius, a former mental health provider in the Air Force said the stigma around mental health goes beyond just this demographic.
“This is a public health issue; it’s not just a military issue,” said Marfilius.
According to the National Center for PTSD, veterans who have been deployed are significantly more likely than civilians to experience mental health conditions such as PTSD or major depression. However, despite the prevalence of mental health struggles among men, they are often diagnosed with depression and mood disorders at far lower rates than women.
“Allowing folks or encouraging folks to seek help prior to worsening symptoms is crucial,” said Marfilius.
Thomas Berish, a pharmacist who has grappled with depression and anxiety, underscores the need for open conversations about mental health, especially among men. Berish tragically lost his brother Joe Berish to death by suicide in November 2022.
Thomas Berish said he and his family were unaware of some of the early warning signs.
“He had outbursts which we didn’t necessarily know was a sign of depression because classic depression is shown as laying around in bed all day,” said Berish.
Now, Berish advocates for more proactive measures to address men’s mental health issues, stressing the importance of initiating conversations and normalizing seeking help.
“Just starting the conversation and recognizing that it is okay. That is just the first step,” said Berish.
As the dialogue surrounding men’s mental health continues to gain momentum, the importance of early intervention and support cannot be overstated. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available. Reach out to 988, the suicide and crisis line, for assistance.